As a life long atheist, I never minded people wishing me a "Merry Christmas". I would even return the pleasantery, although I never initiated it.
But I went to Rural King the other day and the cashier wished me a merry christmas, and I was instantly suspicious. Was this just a friendly person? Or an aggressive christian pushing her religion on me? Was this a premptive assault by a right-wing christian who thinks that she is under attack by militant atheists? And if so, should I return fire by sneering at her assumption that I was a christian, or would that justify her paranoia? Was this a store policy, instituted in response to the campaign by right wing talk show hosts against stores that tried to be more inclusive of American diversity by saying "Happy Holidays" instead of the sectarian "Merry Christmas"?
How sad that a time of year that used to be festive and friendly, the one time of the year that christians at least paid lip service to the ideals of peace on earth and good will to all, has been turned into another battlefield. How delightful it used to be for me, as a peace loving humanist, to have one month when the rest of the country pretended to believe in peace and good will.
That's gone now. They have spread division and hostility among us. Divide and conquer. Argue over words and forget the decency once extolled. So in order not to further division, I muttered "You too". And moved on.
